


Five Times Skye and Coulson meet Steve Rogers

by Skyepilot



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: And crushes like a biologist, Avengers - Freeform, Baseball, Brief mention of the team, Coulson Lives, Coulson doesn't like Tony, Coulson's huge crush on Skye, East vs West Coast Avengers, F/M, Flirting, Friendship, Gen, Jealousy, Kissing, Letters, Lola - Freeform, Love, Marriage, May knows, Metaphors, Neither does Steve, New SHIELD, Peggy Carter - Freeform, Shipscuses, Simmons awkwardness around guys with muscles, Simmons is a biologist, Skoulson - Freeform, Skye's huge crush on Coulson, Speculation, Steve playing matchmaker, UST, relationships, sam wilson - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-13
Updated: 2014-09-05
Packaged: 2018-02-12 23:34:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2128641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyepilot/pseuds/Skyepilot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Silly fic. Skye and Coulson meet Captain America with varying results.  Changed the title just so I could write more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Do You Think Agent Coulson's Cool?

"He's probably geeking out right now," said Trip, grinning from ear to ear.

"He looks so composed," said Simmons, glancing back to Trip. "Are you sure _you're_  not geeking out?"

May gave a sly smile.

"He's geeking out."

Coulson stood off to one side, his hands crossed in front of him. But if you looked very closely, you could see a little bounce in him.

Skye was standing in front of him shaking hands with Captain America.

Since they didn't have the resources to store some of the more dangerous weapons they'd recaptured from HYDRA, it was Skye's suggestion to turn them over to  the Avengers for safe storage, and also as a peace offering, considering Phil Coulson was, in fact, very much alive.

She had contacted them through unofficial channels the week before to give them time to let it sink in before Phil would show up in the flesh. Tasha and Clint already knew, but there was a good chance it might come as a shock to the others.

The team watched from a little bit of a distance as Skye stood at the hangar of the Quinjet and handed the weapon in its case over to Captain America.

"His muscles are quite developed...musculature...there are just  _so many of them_ , don't you think?" Simmons said leaning towards May.

"Kind of partial to Thor myself," said May.

Trip just shook his head.

After all, he'd been the one passing on all the intel posing as a recruit at Avengers Tower, and no one was making a fuss over him. Maybe he should get himself a really good codename.

Suddenly, Skye began walking towards the Quinjet hangar and turned around and looked at them with the biggest grin her face would allow as Captain America  carried on up into the jet.

"Somebody got their backstage pass," Trip sighed.

Coulson turned and started walking back towards them, a wistful expression on his face.

"Looks like we're flying coach," he shrugged, looking over them.

"Did we get invited into Tony Stark's  _superhero lair?_ " asked Simmons, barely containing her excitement.

"Yes," said Coulson, eyes narrowing, slightly fearful of her tone. After all, he'd been on enough undercover operations with her by now to know that things could get very awkward very quickly.

" _By Captain America?_ " she said, her voice hitting a higher pitch.

"Yeah," Coulson sighed.

"C'mon, Miss Squee," Trip said, nudging Simmons. "I'll fill you in on the way.  Banner's lab will make you shed tears."

"And you left Skye alone with him," May said slowly, turning to Coulson.

"Must be love," she said, walking away as her eyes followed him.

He gave her a warning glare as they headed back towards the jump jet.

****

"Nice ride," Skye said, looking around the Quinjet. "I mean, we only have an entire Bus.  Which, is also nice."

She nodded slightly and saw Captain America staring at her very nonchalantly.

"No need to be nervous, Skye," he said, smiling. "I'm just a guy."

"From World War II," she said, leaning in conspiratorially.  "And like, the first superhero, and you have very broad shoulders. I only just noticed."

"So tell me about this weapon," he redirected.

"I'm sorry," she said, "You're right I am nervous and I totally wasn't trying to hit on you, and I'm just continuing to be really awkward."

"HYDRA, right?" he steered.

"Yes," she said, pulling her tablet out of her pack and bringing up the display. "Here are the specs. It's gamma-powered, not Tesseract technology. Which means it was probably developed from within SHIELD, right?"

"You found it in Peru?" he asked.

"In a temple, actually. And then we blew a hole in the side of our plane with it...but, you didn't need to know that."

He was smiling but frowning at the same time.

"It was part of an escape plan," she said, then rolled her eyes at herself.

"Were you escaping...from yourselves?"

"No, we let a Comandante on the plane with us and she took it over and, anyway, it's a long story don't want to bore you with the details."

"No, this is riveting," he said, leaning his arm against the bulkhead.

"Coulson is going to kill me," she groaned.

"Why?" he asked, chuckling, looking up for a moment out to the cockpit to check their location.

"Because he thinks you're so cool," she said, when he made eye contact with her.

"And?" he asked, staring back at her.

"He wants you to think  _he's_  cool."

Cap started laughing. "Do you think Agent Coulson's  _cool?_ "

He just shrugged at her when she didn't reply immediately.

"Director Coulson is  _the coolest_."

She'd said it with such brash sincerity that any thoughts he'd had about teasing her evaporated. Not to mention she'd taken a step towards him and her hands were on her hips.

"Okay," he said, raising his hands. "I surrender."

"Cap," came a voice from the cockpit. "ETA in 10."

"Thanks, John," he threw over his shoulder.

"Skye," he said, tipping his chin at her.

"Yes?"

"Why do you think Coulson's so cool?"

"If I have to tell you...," she said.

"No. Seriously. I want to hear this."

She felt put on the spot, but was still happy to oblige.

"He's a kind man. And, he makes mistakes," she said, wanting him to understand that.  "But, he tries to do right by people. Even though he seems cocky, he wants to be that shield, defend the defenseless."

"Yeah, I can see that," Cap answered.

"And his second chance wasn't just for him.  It was for  _everyone_.  It was for me.....And, I don't know.... _What's cooler than that?_ "

"Doesn't sound like the Coulson I remember, entirely," he said.  

"But," he continued, glancing over at her. "A little piece of him."

"I didn't know him before," she said, looking up at him.

"And I know a good influence when I see one.  Tony should hire you to write our PR," Cap said, tilting his head.

"I'm supposed to be a secret," she replied.

"Skye, you seem like a woman of your word. So, let's make it official. Director Coulson  _is_  cool."

"Thanks," Skye said, grinning at him.

"Hang on to something, we're getting ready to land. You like gelato?" he asked.

"Who doesn't?"

"Stark has the most amazing gelato making robot you've ever seen."

****

"You and Cap were talking all afternoon," he said, walking down the hall of the Playground with his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, I can see why you admire him so much," she said, stopping.

"He is pretty unreasonably good looking," Coulson said.

"That was  _my_  reason for liking him, but,  _good to know._ "

"Are you going to tell me what you talked about?" he asked.

"I can tell you what his favorite flavor of gelato is, but it'll cost you," she said.

"Cost me what?"

Skye leaned back against the wall, raised one eyebrow.

"Are you trying to make me beg?"

"We talked about  _you_."

He looked surprised, pleased, charmed, all at the same time.

"You had the chance to hang out with Captain America and you talked...about me?"

"Yup."

He tried to suppress a laugh, but she could see the amusement in his eyes.

"You're crazy, you know that."

"I'm just here for the sideshow, remember?"

"Yeah, I do," he said, looking her over.

Smirking, he stared at his feet for a moment.

"Alright," he finally said, looking back up.

"Name your price."

****

"No, no, don't hit the thrusters until..."

"Hey, I'm learning, boss man. Chill out."

"I just got her back in working order," Coulson groaned, sitting back in the seat.

"It's okay, Lola, he doesn't understand what we have," she said, patting Lola's bodywork from behind the wheel.

"You and Lola are having a fling, and that is all."

"How dare you."

He flipped open the panel and slipping his hand over hers, placed them together over the red switch.

"Are you ready?"

"Oh, you have _no idea_."


	2. Steveus Interruptus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to write more of Skye and Steve flirting and Coulson freaking out.

"Oh, hi, Mr. Director. I'm here for Skye."

Coulson looked slightly startled and stepped back into the door frame of his office as Rogers stopped in front of it.

The man stared around at the hallway, watching people coming and going carrying on with the mission.

"Looks like you're getting things up and running," he continued, landing his eyes back on Coulson.

Skye appeared down the end of the corridor, walking briskly and smiling nervously in front of Steve Rogers and quickly looking to Coulson.

"Captain Rogers," she said politely.

"Skye, I told you to call me Steve."

Skye watched Coulson's eyes widen even more as he glanced from Rogers back to her.

"Yes, of course," she said, flustered. "Coulson, I was just coming to tell you, _Steve_ ," she said, motioning towards him, "Was going to be joining us today to take a look at some of the technology Fitz was developing."

"Thought that he might be able to help my friend Sam out. With some modifications to his flight suit?" he added, hefting the pack slung over his shoulder.

"Just...happened to be in the neighborhood," Steve added, glancing over at Skye then back at Coulson.

"Thanks!" Skye said to Coulson, grabbing Steve by the arm and leading him down the corridor toward the Lab.

"Nice to see you, too," Steve whispered over at her.

"Stop it," she said under her breath.

Coulson just watched them walk away, his shoulders a little slumped and a frown hanging on his face.

****

"Well, that's what he deserves then," Steve said quietly over to Skye.

Fitz was deep into tinkering with Sam's Falcon flight suit in the TechLab, while Steve and Skye chatted off to one side.

"Now you're just being mean," she said back.

"Look, I saw his face just now. If he's willing to stand there while another guy walks off with his girl..."

"I'm not his girl. Stop it."

" _But_ ," he smiled.

"Stop."

" _You told me..._ " he eased in, starting to grin.

"How are things coming in here?"

Coulson's voice jostled them out of their private reverie.

"Oh, fine!" said Fitz loudly. "If these two could stop hugging the corner maybe I could get to my equipment?"

Skye fluttered her eyes and looked over at Fitz as they both stood.

"Thanks," he said, shooting a sly self-pleased look at Coulson while he opened the cabinet and retrieved a tool out of it from between them.

He walked away leaving them all standing there again in awkward silence.

"Rogers," Coulson said, looking over at Steve.

"Coulson," Steve replied.

"Hey!" Skye said. "I have to go do a thing, so, I'll just leave you in good hands and be right back."

Steve followed her with his eyes as she walked out.

"Upgrades from SHIELD when you have access to the technology that created Iron Man," Coulson started. "Makes perfect sense."

"Not everything revolves around Tony," Steve shot back. "Besides," he said, looking directly at Coulson. "I wanted to see Skye."

"That so?"

" _Yes, sir._ "

Steve crossed his arms and looked over at Fitz who was ignoring them, but probably listening.

"That a problem?" he asked, turning back to Coulson.

"No," Coulson said.

"Great," Steve said, clapping Coulson on the shoulder.

"Then you won't mind showing me around."

****

"This is the central nervous system," he said, walking Steve into the monitor room.

"Oh, look, there's Avengers Tower," said Steve dryly pointing at one of the screens. "That an authorized tap?"

"We're not exactly operating overtly at the moment," Coulson said apologetically.

"Tony's not going to like that."

Coulson swung around back towards Steve. "You really concerned about what Tony likes?"

Steve shrugged. "Not sure I like it."

"Okay," Coulson said, stepping up to him. Steve was at least a foot taller than he was. "Want to tell me what all your operations are into? Because, I've got a pretty good idea, and it's making SHIELD look like Santa Claus."

"It's all automated," Steve said.

"Yes, I know," he paused. "All run through one computer, a computer with access to a global network and all of the Iron Man tech, fully weaponized. Sounds like a real bright idea. Actually," he said. "Sounds like a Tony idea."

"Look," Steve said. "It's not like..."

"Why are you really here, Rogers?" he asked cutting him off.

"Knock it off," Skye said, suddenly appearing between them.

"My office. Now."

Coulson turned on his heel and walked away.

Skye noticed some of the other agents were watching them, she looked up at Steve and then followed.

When she got to his office, she shut the door behind her.

"What's he doing here, Skye?" Coulson snapped from behind his desk.

"You tasked me with reaching out to the Avengers. That's exactly what I did."

"What does he want?"

She walked towards him, leaned over his desk.

"When we dropped off the HYDRA weapon the other day. I think...he liked being around the team."

"The team," he said smirking.

"I think he's still struggling to fit in. He liked being around the 'troops'. SHIELD was also his home, you realize."

"Well," Coulson said, standing, walking around the desk towards the door. "You should recruit him, then."

"Excellent idea," she said, smugly. "After all, you've always looked up to him."

"Is that a cheap shot?" he said, narrowing his eyes at her, stopping in front of her.

"If you keep grilling him like that," she said, raising her voice slightly, walking towards him. "He'd probably rather take on another alien invasion than work..."

"I guess it's my job to do threat assessment, then," he interrupted.  "Since you're so distracted?" he said, leaning towards her, agitated.

"I'm distracted?" she asked, feeling suddenly warm. "You're the one who can't take your eyes off of..."

It didn't really matter who started it first, but Coulson ended up against the desk with Skye pressed up against him as their mouths brushed against each other, and when his hands tangled in her hair, they shared a very panicked and thorough kiss.

She put her hands down on the top of the desk to anchor herself, swaying slightly.

"We should stop," he said, breathing, with his heartbeat in his ears.

"Agreed," she said, swallowing and nodding at him.

"Just," he said, looking down between them, their bodies pressed together. "One second."

He shut his eyes and then nudged her face with his cheek, feeling her eyelashes against the bridge of his nose, hand dropping to her hip.

He opened his eyes as she pressed her face towards his, looking into him, heavy-lidded, and kissed him slowly open-mouthed.

Coulson groaned and pressed in closer, he could feel her teeth against his lower lip.

Suddenly, they jerked apart as the door swung open.

Steve was standing there holding it open, eyebrows raised.

They didn't really have time to untangle, but, they did stop kissing.

"Well, looks like my work here is done," he said, smiling and gave them a salute.

He chuckled as he closed the door of the office.

"Carry on."


	3. Shall We Dance?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I just couldn't stop there. Coulson gets payback. Sort of.

"Don't worry about it," he said.

"What do I say if they ask?" she replied.

"You can say whatever you want. Say you're the Director, that will be fun."

"Coulson," she frowned at him.

"I mean, it's kind of true, anyway, isn't it?" he shrugged.

"This is about the other thing," she said, lifting up the hem of her evening dress as she navigated the steps.

"I know. So," he turned smiling at her with his back to the automated doors as they opened.

"Say whatever you want."

The sun setting behind them was reflected on the mirrored windows of Avengers Tower and there was Phil Coulson smiling at her wearing a tuxedo.

All she wanted was just to stay here with him, stretch out these moments alone. Let them stare at each other (the fancy clothing was particularly nice) and compliment one another endlessly until it descended into kissing.

That's mostly how it had gone for the past week, anyway. Along with the bad poetry he'd been messaging her, which, she wasn't sure if they were attempts at humor or tenderness but somehow came across as both.

There really wasn't anything to define if anyone asked. _Hi, this is my boss and my kissing buddy for the past week, we're really close._

Of course there was a relationship, there had been for some time. But this was just new and she hated the idea of having to define it, somehow, to a bunch of people she didn't really know and who probably knew more than they should know.

They stepped into the elevator doors as it shot up to the rooftop, crammed inside with a few other guests.

Steve had invited her to this gala it was an annual fundraiser for people who had lost friends and family after the Battle of New York.

"They're all going to be in one place" Coulson said, staring ahead at the elevator doors.

It surprised her that he hadn't brought this up already, but she knew he was thinking about it. There wasn't any way he couldn't.

Skye slipped her hand into his and gave it a squeeze.

He turned and smiled, leaning in and whispering to her for probably the tenth time how beautiful she was.

And she just couldn't stop grinning.

****

"Skye, you want to do me the honor?"

Coulson looked at handsome Steve in his tuxedo holding his hand out to Skye.

The suit fit okay, but Steve was really too muscular for it. Of course, his chances of ever looking like Steve without a tuxedo on were long gone.

Skye looked over at Coulson, a smile in her eyes, and put her hand in Steve's as he lead her to the dance floor.

Holding onto his drink, he stuffed his free hand in his pocket and took a sip as he watched them.

"They make a pretty pair," came a husky voice next to his ear.

"Yes, they do," he said, turning to look over at Natasha standing next to him in her black dress and looked into her piercing green eyes.

"You always looked good in a tux, Coulson," she said, her eyes flickering over to Steve and Skye dancing.

"Thanks," he said, surprised at the compliment.

"Steve kind of looks like an idiot in one," she smirked.

Skye was laughing at something Steve was saying, his face was very animated, they were not really following the dance steps.

"Glad someone's having a good time," Tasha said, grabbing a passing champagne flute.

"Whatever could they be talking about?" she asked as Skye threw her head back, laughing.

"Skye's probably egging him on, getting him to give her more details about the story, jumping into it with him."

"Steve is thinking 'She laughs at all my jokes, despite my poor delivery, this is the best day of my life!'," said Tasha sarcastically.

Coulson and Tasha slowly stared over at one another.

"You've got it bad, company man," said Tasha, teasing.

"Oh, I think I'm not the only one. Exactly how much free time have you been spending with Captain Rogers here?"

"I'm around, he's around. Sometimes we play gin rummy," she said, rolling her eyes as Coulson raised his eyebrows.

"With or without the gin?" asked Coulson with a smirk.

"Always with gin, in my case," she said, suddenly flustered. "Why am I telling you any of this? You're not my handler anymore."

"Would you like to dance, Natasha?" asked Coulson.

"I don't think in all the time I've known you've we've ever..."

"Exactly," he said.

****

Steve watched Coulson lead Tasha out on the dance floor, and sweep her into his arms gracefully.

Of course Coulson was an excellent dancer.

Of course.

Skye followed his eyes over to the two of them dancing.

"He's a good dancer," she said at the happy discovery.

Tasha was staring into Phil Coulson's eyes, and there was a smile threatening its way across her face.

Steve watched the other man lean over and whisper something in her ear, as Tasha bit her lip.

"How long have they known each other?" Steve asked.

"I don't know," Skye answered. "I only met Coulson after the Battle of New York. I imagine forever. He really grew up in SHIELD and so did she."

"They seem to be enjoying one another don't they?" Steve asked.

"Yes," Skye said, intrigued, as they swayed. "They're making it all look very grown up."

Steve took a deep breath as Coulson's hand dipped down to her lower back, his fingers splaying against the bare skin there.

"Yeah, you totally like her, silent stalker."

"Okay," he said, laughing, lowering his head. "I have to stop looking."

"Stop staring at her and go ask her to dance," Skye said, looking into his eyes. "I can't believe you are willing to jump off a helicarrier but you won't take ten steps over there and ask out a girl you like."

"You don't get to give me a talking to," he said, pointing a finger at her nose. "Coulson would have never made a move, and neither would've you."

Skye broke away from him and walked over to Coulson dancing with Tasha.

"Excuse me," she said, tapping Tasha on the shoulder.

"Yes, hello," she said, as they stopped dancing.

"I'd like to have Coulson to myself for awhile if you don't mind."

Tasha looked momentarily surprised and then looked slyly over at Coulson.

He just tilted his head at her and smirked.

"But," said Skye, "I think Steve over there is free."

She took Coulson's hand and lead him off the dance floor.

Steve's eyes followed them as Skye pulled Coulson into a dark corner, turning back towards him grabbing the lapels of his tuxedo and then Coulson's hands were all over her.

_Sheesh._

"Dance?"

He turned back, flushed, to see Tasha standing in front of him.

"Yeah," he said, immediately.

They started to sway together with the music, her hand in his.

"Although, I'm not as smooth as Coulson," he warned.

Tasha smiled slightly as Steve's hand slid down to the small of her back.

"What do you think about getting out of these clothes?" she asked innocently, putting her arms around his neck.

"Uh," he stammered. "What exactly do you have in mind?"

"A little gin rummy, of course," she said, staring back into his eyes, smiling with him when he did.

"Sure, why not?" he laughed, relaxing.  "For a second there, I thought you meant the other thing."

"Don't get too ahead of yourself, Rogers."


	4. While You Were Sleeping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Skye talk while Phil is sleeping.

"He's just sleeping, Skye," Simmons said, her arm on the other woman's shoulder, comforting.

Skye's eyes rolled back, exhaustion and emotion hitting her, as she watched Phil Coulson's chest slowly move up and down in the medpod.

"You okay?"

Skye nodded slowly, sliding her hand off the window and turned towards Steve's voice.

He put his hands on her arms, then she fell towards him and hugged him tightly.

Simmons made herself busy about the lab tiding up after what had been a very excruciating day.

"I thought I was going to lose him," Skye said, voice muffled, into Steve's chest.

"Yeah, scared me, too."

"You don't even like him," Skye said, annoyed, pushing away from him.

Steve thought back to seeing the first signs of reaction from Coulson to the alien virus, the way he had stepped between it and them.

And the look they had exchanged as Steve hauled Skye away from him and dragged her out of the room, kicking against him.

"Skye," he rolled his eyes slightly. "I...don't dislike him, it's just..."

"What?" she said, looking up at him, huge eyed. "You can't forgive that? It wasn't even his call."

"I've lost guys before. It's hard for it to not feel personal when they start popping up again."

She knew he was also talking about Barnes. He still hadn't managed to locate him after the fall of SHIELD and it had made him restless.

"Even SHIELD," he said, looking down at her through long eyelashes. "Represents my past. It was hers, too, you know?"

Peggy Carter. Lost in time and still connected to the present.

He'd only mentioned her a few times in front of Skye, but she could tell now when he was thinking about her.

It had sent Skye on a mad hunt to learn everything she could about her.

"Peggy would want you to like Phil Coulson," Skye said bluntly.

"Would she now?" Steve asked, staring back.

"Yes. Because Phil is _passionate_ about SHIELD, about why SHIELD exists and it's for the same reasons. I'm sure of it."

" _You're_ sure?" he asked. 

This had been one of those moments of convergence when SHIELD had agreed to operate with the Avengers, when something big got _too_ big for them.  She knew they were dealing with something alien, felt pulled towards it and Coulson had felt the same. 

"I never see him like this," Skye said, looking over at Phil quiet and slumped over.

"Now the tables are turned," Steve said.

Skye just waited.

He was terrible at this sort of thing.

"He watched me while I was sleeping," Steve joked. "I get to return the favor.

"Wait," Skye asked, looking up at him.  "What?!."

Simmons came into the room and stopped to check the readout, looked over at Steve and Skye.

"Oh, yes, Coulson. He watched Skye."

"Really?" asked Steve, looking over at Skye.

Jemma stared at Steve as a smile spread across his face. But mostly, she looked at his arms crossed over his broad chest.

"I...almost died," Skye said to him, then glancing over to Jemma. "You never told me that!"

"Really," Jemma said, leaning back towards her. "I just thought, a little _too much_ attention. _TMI_... _TMI_ ," she said, smiling tightly over at Steve.

"So, he just stared at me?" Skye asked after a moment.

"Oh, he was very concerned about the effects of the drug, I think he felt _enormously_ guilty. Wouldn't listen to a word I said. Just kept waiting _and waiting_ for when you woke up."

"Romantic," said Steve.

"Shut up," Skye said, jabbing him in the ribs, noticing Coulson coming awake.

"You are _quite_ perfect," Simmons said looking to Steve. "And my favorite experiment, _which I did not conduct_ ," she added rapidly.

"Thanks... I think."

****

He felt the corners of his own consciousness.

That hadn't happened to him before, but he didn't know exactly when he began to understand it, either.

Something pulling him out of himself, like being gently nudged awake.

His eyes slowly opened, adjusting, and then scent flooded him. Antiseptic, brittle. And his skin felt chilled, but temperature controlled.

He was in one of the medlabs.

He knew it before his eyes even completely adjusted.

When they came into focus, at the two blurred figures standing nearby, he couldn't deny his surprise.

Despite feeling a little groggy, obvious he had been medicated, the irony of the situation wasn't lost on him.

Phil Coulson stared back at Captain America and Skye watching him come awake.

"Huh."

 


	5. Second Base

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skye talks to Steve after Peggy's funeral and Steve gets a letter sent from the past. It's kind of melancholy, I guess! Ends on a brighter note.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm speculating that the Season 2 SHIELD offices and Coulson's desk used to be Peggy Carter's.
> 
> East Coast vs West Coast Avengers playing baseball is an actual thing (Hawkeye cheats): http://funnybookbabylon.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/the-end.jpg

“You would’ve liked Peggy.”

“It’s not the same,” she said, putting her hand on his arm, “But listening to you talk about her all this time, I feel like I do know her a little.”

“It’s weird, I feel like she’s still here.  Even when I used to visit her in the hospital,” he said, looking down, “It felt like I was back there, with her…like I never left.”

“ _Did_ you ever really leave?” she asked with a kind smile.

“I have,” he said, his brows knotting together. “ _Yes_.”

“Maybe it’s not that you left or she did, just that some people we’re meant to carry with us, always?”

“Are we just talking about Peggy here?” he asked, smiling over at her, bumping his knee against hers.

“I know you’re Captain America and everything, but, you’re allowed to be sad,” she said, brushing off his attempt to change the subject.  “Feeling like you’ve been standing alone for a long time, and then when you find this really special person, and that emptiness starts to ebb away…You start to want to trust again, let people in.  You owe Peggy Carter a lot, I think.”

“This right here is why we’re friends.  _Even_ if you think Phil Coulson is cool. Which, _nice guy_ , but the rest of it is kind of inexplicable.”

Skye gave him a warning look.

“I just find your taste in men _somewhat_ ….”

He flinched and started laughing when Skye punched him in the shoulder.

“Ow, I actually felt that,” he said.

“I’ve been working out,” she smirked. “And _Director_ Coulson says ‘hi’ and gave me this to hand to you.”

Skye gave the small envelope to Steve and watched him look at it before flipping it open and taking the handwritten note out on the yellowed paper.

She watched him blink for a few moments, eyes darting back and forth over the paper, and then push a tear away from under his eye.

“It’s a letter that Peggy wrote,” he said quietly, his lower lip shaking slightly.

“Yeah, he said he found it in his desk.  It was never sent.”

“It would have come back anyway,” he said, glancing at her with red eyes, trying to be light. “I was between addresses at the time.”

“He didn’t read it, I mean, after he saw that it was written to you,” she said, touching his shoulder.

Steve sniffled and folded up the letter, placing it back in the envelope, and handed it over to her.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Take this back to him,” he said, his Captain’s voice on, “It’s meant for him as much as it was for me.  Make sure he reads it.  All of it.”

****

“ _He wants me to read it?_ ” Coulson said, looking very uncomfortable from behind his desk.

“That’s what he said,” Skye said, shrugging, then placing the envelope on the desk in front of him.

“How is he?”

“In love,” Skye said with a smile.  “ _Still_.”

Coulson nodded and then stood going around the desk and to his door, letter in hand.  He turned the lock.

As he sat on the couch he handed the letter up to Skye.

“Will you read it?”

“He said it was for you,” she started.  “Not…”

“ _Please_.”

Skye walked up and took the letter from his hand, slowly opening it, and sat down on the couch next to him.

Taking a breath, she began reading it aloud:

 

 

> My dearest Steve,
> 
> Not a day goes by while I sit at this desk where I don’t think about you.  Of course, life has moved on in every other way, but you always linger like a ghost.
> 
> When I think about what we were able to share in, even in its brevity, I alternate between the anger of it being cut short and the precious gift that it presented, which seems to somehow transcend time and place.
> 
> We both deserved a better world, I think.  But the one we have, is then, simply an opportunity to make that better world, isn’t it?
> 
> That is my job now. 
> 
> Our enemies are still here, they don’t wear swastikas, so it’s not so easy to sort them out by sight.  They look like men in nice suits and they work in offices and they smile at you on the street when you walk by.
> 
> All the people coming in and out of this office, some of them don’t understand what I am trying to do.  If I’m honest, I might be a little grateful for it, really, because if they did, they might not like it.  They think it’s just about security and safety.  I hope to make them understand.  That someone like Gabe Jones deserves the opportunity to be Director just as much as anyone ever did.  That Izzy Cohen doesn’t belong behind a desk, she belongs in the field.  That making the world safer means opening doors, not just keeping secrets. 
> 
> And that better world is where I find you, every day.  I still see you here, and somehow again and always, you are in front of me and not behind.
> 
> Thank you for giving that to me.  And, you still owe me a dance.
> 
> With all my love,
> 
> ~P

 

She leaned over and put her head on his shoulder.

“We are going to build what Peggy Carter started,” Skye said, wrapping her fingers around his arm.

“I thought you might see it that way,” he said.

“Do you think that’s impossible?” she asked, questioning his tone.

“ _No_ ,” Coulson said, looking over at her. “He was right, about that letter.”

He stood up sliding the letter into the chest pocket of his jacket.

“And she was right about keeping our eyes ahead,” she replied. “We can spend whole lifetimes asking what went wrong.”

Coulson held out his hand to her.

Skye took it letting him pull her off the couch and into his arms.

“This…what we’ve started,” he began.

“Are you talking about SHIELD, or…”

He leaned down and cut her off with a kiss.

“Phil,” she said questioning, pulling away for a moment, looking up at him.

Something about this felt different.  Not the usual playful or super-collider moments they’d been having in between getting shot at, stalked and hunted in the last several months. It was sentimental, sweet.

She could feel her skin tingling, the way he was looking at her now.

“ _We’re_ building this.  This is a ‘we’, right?” he asked.

“Coulson…” she started, searching his eyes.

“I’ve been hesitating.  Taking small steps. I...didn’t want you to feel like things were moving too fast.”

“We’re both under a lot of pressure right now,” she said.

“I’m in love with you, Skye, and I’m not sure the other thing matters anymore.”

“What other thing?”

“Waiting.”

 ****

"You seem...different," Steve said, staring at her as she stood, one foot barely on first base.

"If you're thinking about stealing..." he warned as they both stared back at the home plate.

It was the now annual West Coast vs East Coast Avengers baseball game, and Skye was allowed to play because #1, she was personal friends with Captain America, and #2, it turns out she has actual powers.

"Well, I can move the ground by pointing at it.  That's pretty different," she said, adjusting her baseball hat.

She looked up into the stands and saw Coulson sitting next to Sam Wilson, hiding his gestures and motioning to her to go for the steal.

"I wouldn't listen to him, if I were you," Steve started, his eyes following hers.

"Don't make me set you on fire, Steve" she said, "That's my man you're talking about."

They watched Barton up for the pitch, taunting the Hulk at bat.

"Such a bad idea...," Cap said under his breath.  "Barton!  Play the game!" he yelled over to the pitcher's mound.

"Steve, I have a little secret," Skye said.

"Secret? Okay," he said, frowning slightly.

The Hulk swung and missed, then the bat went into the upper atmosphere as Tasha walked out from the dugout wearing an eyeroll to supply him a new one.

" _ImarriedPhilCoulson_ ," she said, laughing, taking off for second base.

"What?!" he said, stunned for a moment. "Hey!"

It was too late, Skye had stolen second and Steve's eyes shot over to the stands to see Coulson on his feet yelling cheering her on.

"Sheesh."

Up in the stands Sam was shaking his head at Steve.

"Yeah, yeah," Steve said, gesturing back at Sam and then kicking the dirt.

He turned towards Skye on second.

She grinned at him.

And winked.

He turned his attention back towards home base.

"Hey, batter batter..." he yelled.

Then he turned and pointed at Skye with a smile.

"You're going down, Coulson!"


End file.
